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. 2020 Sep 28;9:255. doi: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_97_20

Table 3.

Final framework for the essential data element in differential diagnosis of oral medicine

Data sections Data elements Variables
Administrative data
 Demographic Identification number
Gender Male/female
Age group
Race
Marital status Single/married
Education
Employment
Address
Mobile
e-mail
 Provider ID Specialties
Date of acceptance
Record number
 Diagnostic Chief complaint
Primary diagnosis
Differential diagnosis
Final diagnosis
Historical data
 Social history Number of caffeinated beverages you drink in a day
Number of alcoholic beverages you drink in a week
Number of carbonated beverages a day
Have you ever used tobacco? Yes/no
If yes, what type Cigarette, pipe/cigar, smokeless
Do you currently use tobacco? Yes/no
If yes, average number of uses per day
For how many years?
Exposure to sunlight? Yes/no
 Oral hygiene history How often do you brush? 1/1>/1<
How often do you floss? Once per night, once per week, i do not use
Do you take fluoride supplements? Yes/no
 Family history Genetic Diseases Yes/no
Involvement of family members in infectious diseases Yes/no
Food allergy Yes/no
Drug allergy Yes/no
 Past disease history Past previous malignancies Yes/no
History of thyroid disorders Yes/no
History of radiotherapy Yes/no
History of liver disease Yes/no
Endocrine disorders such as diabetes Yes/no
Immune system diseases such as HIV Yes/no
Infection with human papilloma virus, HPV 16,18 Yes/no
Para clinical indicator
 Radiography Extraoral radiographs OPG/DPT, lateral Ceph, PA view, waters
Intraoral radiographs Bitewing radiographs, occlusal radiographs, periapical radiographs, full mouth series
CT or CAT scan
Radiography result
 Laboratory Main group of test Cytology, biochemistry, hormone tests, microbiology, pathology
Tests results
Biopsy
Aspiration
Diascopy
 Clinical indicator
 Ulcerative, vesicular, and bullous lesions Features Isolated lesion, multiple lesions, persistent lesion, recurrent lesion
Site
Size
Duration
Tendency/pain Yes/no
Predisposing factors
Associations/relieving factors
Previous treatment
Hemorrhage Yes/no
Description of margins Regular, irregular, rolled
Lymphadenopathy Yes/no
Depth Superficial, deep
Other features Vesicle, bulla, plaque, papule, nodule, tumor solid
Altered sensation Yes/no
If yes, please describe the nature and distribution
 Red and white lesions of the oral mucosa Features Isolated lesion, multiple lesions, persistent lesion, recurrent lesion
Color Red lesions, white lesions, pigmented lesions
Site
Size
Duration
Tendency/pain Yes/no
Predisposing factors
Associations/relieving Factors
Previous treatment
Hemorrhage Yes/no
Recent increase in size Yes/no
Description of margins Regular, irregular, rolled
Color nature Homogeneous, heterogeneous
Depth Superficial, deep
Other features Vesicle, bulla, plaque, papule, nodule, tumor solid
Ulceration Yes/no
If yes, describe appearance
Lymphadenopathy Yes/no
Discharge Yes/no
If yes, please describe the nature of discharge
Altered Sensation Yes/no
If yes, please describe the nature and distribution
 Pigmented lesions of the oral mucosa Features Isolated lesion, multiple lesions, persistent lesion, recurrent lesion
Color Red lesions, blue lesions, brown lesions, black lesions, pigmented lesions
Color nature Homogeneous, heterogeneous
Site
Size
Duration
Tendency/pain Yes/no
Predisposing factors
Associations/relieving factors
Previous treatment
Hemorrhage Yes/no
Description of margins Regular, irregular, rolled
Depth Superficial, deep
Other features Vesicle, bulla, plaque, papule, nodule, tumor solid
Altered sensation Yes/no
If yes, please describe the nature and distribution
 Benign lesions of the oral cavity and the jaws Features Isolated lesion, multiple lesions, persistent lesion, recurrent lesion
Color Red lesions, colored tissue, white lesions, blue lesions, yellow lesions
Site
Size
Duration
Tendency/pain Yes/no
Predisposing factors
Associations/relieving factors
Previous treatment
Hemorrhage Yes/no
Lesion process Fast, slow
History or evidence of infective etiology Yes/no
Shape features Polypoid, sessile, Peduncalate, nodular, domed
Surface Smooth, papillary, verrucous, granulomatous
Consistency Soft, firm, hard, rubbery, cheesy
Lymphadenopathy Yes/no
Ulceration of Surface Yes/no
If yes, describe appearance
Altered sensation Yes/no
If yes, please describe the nature and distribution
 Oral and oropharyngeal cancer Site Localized, generalized
Number Single, multiple lesion
Margins Coalescing, well defined
Duration
Tendency/pain Yes/no
Predisposing factors
Associations/relieving factors
Previous treatment
Lymphadenopathy Yes/no
Lesion process Fast, slow
History or evidence of infective etiology Yes/no
New primary cancer or recurrence New primary, primary – secondary, recurrence, metastasis, not stated
Histological grade Grade 1: Well differentiated, Grade 2: Moderately differentiated, Grade 3: Poorly differentiated
Depth of invasion
Perineural invasion Yes/no
Involved or close margins with measurements Length×width×thickness in mm
Tumor stage Stage 0, Stage I, Stage II, Stage III, Stage IVA, Stage IVB, Stage IVC
Shape features Polypoid, sessile, Peduncalate, nodular, domed
Surface Smooth, papillary, verrucous, granulomatous
Consistency Soft, firm, hard, rubbery, cheesy
Lymphadenopathy Yes/no
Ulceration of Surface Yes/no
If yes, describe appearance
Altered sensation Yes/no
If yes, please describe the nature and distribution
 Salivary gland diseases Features Isolated Lesion, Multiple Lesions, Persistent Lesion, Recurrent Lesion
Color Red lesions, colored tissue, white lesions, blue lesions, yellow lesions
Site
Size
Duration
Tendency/pain Yes/no
Predisposing factors
Associations/relieving factors
Previous treatment
Hemorrhage Yes/no
Milking Normal, parotid, submandibular, sublingual
Pooling Yes/no
Salvia nature Clear, turbid
Dry mouth Yes/no
Period Night, day, both
Dry other parts of the body (eyes, skin, throat, vagina, etc.) Yes/No
Swallowing difficulties Yes/no
Opening mouth difficulties Yes/no
Speaking difficulties Yes/no
The amount of salivation Little, a lot, normal
Skull – pink disorders Yes/no
Intraoral symptoms Severe decay, severe abrasion, candidiasis, enamel hyperplasia, atrophy of the oral mucosa
History of fill and empty Yes/no

CAT=Computed axial tomography, CT=Computed tomography, OPG/DPT=Orthopantomogram/Dental Panoramic Tomogram, PA=It’s not acronym